Revisiting the 2013 WHL Bantam Draft: Victoria Royals Edition

In the first two WHL Bantam Drafts in Victoria, there were a few hits and a few more misses. However, the 2012 Draft was a big improvement over the previous year, despite the fact that the four of their last five picks never played a game in the Western Hockey League.

The 2013 Draft is also an improvement on the 2012 one, so let’s take a look at how General Manager Cameron Hope did.

5 Players with over 100 WHL Games (4 With Victoria)
2 NHL Draft Picks
6 Players with under 30 WHL Games

This was the draft that the Royals needed to nail, with 9 draft picks before the 100th selection was called out. Their first 4 picks (Hannoun, Phillips, Jarratt and Gregor) have all turned into, at the very least, serviceable WHL players. Hannoun’s size may be preventing him from getting any NHL Draft attention, but it did not seem to hurt Matthew Phillips.

How different would this team be if they chose Dillon Dube at #11, Phillips at #33, Foote at #37 and didn’t trade Gregor after picking him at #55. Adding Cale Fleury instead of Blake Jameson in the 4th round would have been a big step up too.

The draft was a relative success for the Royals, with 5 out of the 11 picks having great WHL career so far. Some misses, but again, this is a draft of 15-year-olds, and it seems hard enough to see which players will rise to the top of the draft class.